6 Hacks for a Perfect Cat Eye Every Single Time

If eyeliner is an art, winged eyeliner is the Mona Lisa. Getting it juuuuuuust right takes precision and skill—but honestly, it also takes some big-time tricks up your sleeve. We got the liner scoop from celebrity makeup artist Lydia Sellers, who will help you get it right in no time.

1. "Don't start in the inner corner—start in the center of the eye and work outwards to create a more open effect. (When the line starts at the inner corner, it can make your eyes look smaller.) Make it thin at the start and thicken as you please. The thicker the line, the more drama."

Portia Doubleday's makeup by Lydia Sellers

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2. "A helpful tip is to draw the outline of the shape of the cat eye with black shadow before going in with a more permanent liner type (liquid, gel, etc). This will help you manipulate it easier to achieve the exact shape you want before making it more permanent."

3. "I *love* using the #708 brush from Bdellium tools ($8) when using a gel liner or something from a pot (I am really loving ColourPop Cosmetics Creme Gel Liner for $8—cheap and great quality!) The brush is skinny with a slightly tapered tip. I also love that the brush itself is bent at the top. You can position the brush at the exact angle you want at the outer corner to achieve the most perfect flick of a line."

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4. Another tool to try? The Liner.Designer. The secret weapon, created by the company that made your beloved Beautyblender, looks like a guitar pick and gives you a clean line, with a great angle, every single time. ($16) Pssst...here's how to use it.

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5. "*Always* follow the direction of the lower lash line to find the direction of your cat eye. If your eye lid has a heavier fold, you may want to cheat the liner a little lower so it doesn't get lost in the skin fold (AKA so you can see it!)."

6. "It really helps to have the right formula/product to achieve the look. Here are some of my favorites. All of these have a felt, tapered tip which makes it easier to control. I love each of them equally! The Make Up For Ever one is a little more shiny/slick looking whereas the other two are more matte."